Castle of Black Iron

In dizziness, Zhang Tie felt like waking up from a comfortable, indolent, long sleep in a spring morning.

He was woken up by the twitters outside the bedroom.

When the twitters turned clear, Zhang Tie finally woke up.

After opening his eyes, Zhang Tie found he was lying on the bed of a traditional and brilliant bedroom with full Hua characteristics. There seemed to be a courtyard just outside the bedroom, from where the twitters drifted into the bedroom.

Zhang Tie got up and found that he had put on a suit of soft and comfortable white night robe. He didn’t know how long he had slept.

Sitting on the bedside, Zhang Tie felt like having a wholly new body. Each cell across his body was surging while his spine felt warm and comfortable. After sensing it carefully, he made some movements in the room and found that his physical strength, speed, resilience and the seven strengths of qi, blood, tendon, meridian, bone, marrow and spirit had increased in different degrees. His physical strength increased the most. What was more, his first chakra was running in a thicker and more steadier way, which felt like a huge steam flywheel being applied with lubricating oil.

’Dragon-marrow liquor is really a good thing. With a jar of dragon-marrow liquor, my battle strength has reached a new high.’ Zhang Tie licked his lips as a question occurred to his mind, ’I have benefited so much from one jar of dragon-marrow liquor, I wonder how strong is Emperor Xuanhuan who drinks dragon-marrow liquor every day.’

Zhang Tie just asked himself about that. He knew that he was far from the realm of Emperor Xuanyuan, where there might be better things than dragon-marrow liquor. ’This question is like how a rustic wonders how many meat pies would an urban landlord eat after eating a tasty meat pie.’

With a self-deprecating smile, Zhang Tie pushed open the door of the bedroom and left.

There was indeed a courtyard outside the door. It was already about 10 am as the sun was hanging high. There were some spiritual banyan trees with green crowns and a pond. Some birds were singing on the trees while a shoal of golden fish was playing water cheerily below the lotus leaves.

This courtyard was very tranquil with great ambiance. However, it was not in Huaiyuan Mansion. Due to the tree shades and tall walls, Zhang Tie couldn’t figure out his whereabouts. But he knew that he was in Youzhou City.

Elder Muen was in meditation with closed eyes in the pavilion under one spiritual banyan tree.

At the sight of Elder Muen, Zhang Tie realized that Elder Muen was especially working as a bodyguard for him here.

’Thankfully, I had an elder of Huaiyuan Palace to protect me after I got drunk. If I got drunk in another place, I’m afraid that any commoner could kill me.’

When Zhang Tie came out of the bedroom, Elder Muen opened his eyes.

”Erm, I’m really sorry. I’ve not imagined that the dragon-marrow liquor has such a strong after-effect. Sorry to trouble Elder Muen...” Zhang Tie scratched his head bashfully.

Elder Muen stood up. Watching Zhang Tie’s bashful look, he burst out into laughter at once, ”No trouble, no trouble, I could also enter meditation here, one stone for two birds!”

”Thank you, Elder Muen, how many days have I slept in here. Where are we?”

”You’ve slept 7 days. It’s October 12 today. We’re in White Tiger Complex, Youzhou City. Ohh, White Tiger Complex serves as the official mansion of the provincial governor of Youzhou Province now!” Elder Muen told Zhang Tie with a smile.

Compared to the majestic look of Elder Muen when Zhang Tie met him for the first time, Elder Muen looked much more genial now.

Zhang Tie had not imagined that he could sleep straight for 7 days. The competition had ended a week ago, the White Tiger Complex had been branded with the Mansion of Provincial Governor of Youzhou Province. It indicated that the result of the competition had fixed.

”How’s everything going?”

”Everything is smooth. Youzhou City has been under the control of Zhang Clan, Huaiyuan Palace!” Elder Muen replied cheerily with a bit pride, ”How do you feel now? I was told that the dragon-marrow liquor has a special effect!”

Elder Muen asked out of concern and curiosity.

”I feel very good now. My chakra runs more steadily. Besides, I feel that my physical strength has increased by almost 500 kg; even my battle strength has further increased!” Zhang Tie warmed up his limbs.

Elder Muen nodded with a bit solemn look, ”That’s great. As Zhang Clan of Huaiyuan Palace have just taken charge of Youzhou Province and our clan head has just ascended to the position of provincial governor of Youzhou Province. We clan elders have to favor many affairs in Youzhou Province for Huaiyuan Palace so that Huaiyuan Palace could deeply root in Youzhou Province. As you’ve become well-known in Youzhou Province, each of your movements would be observed by many people. You should be incumbent upon duties! We elders of Huaiyuan Palace are outnumbered by Lu Clan and Gu Clan; additionally, our root in Youzhou Province could not match that of theirs, if you shirked your responsibilities, Huaiyuan Palace would be a laughing stock in others’ eyes.”

Zhang Tie forced a bitter smile, ’When I refused the invitation of Commander Cheng 7 days ago, the elders and head of Huaiyuan Palace had thought that we missed an extremely good chance. After I woke up, it looked that Huaiyuan Palace would never allow me to loiter outside anymore. I’m afraid that Elder Muen’s words have been agreed by the other elders and Zhang Taixuan in advance. He told me about that so that I would not find any excuse to shirk my responsibilities.’

’Alright, it will indeed be improper if I just stay at home. I’m afraid that my parents would sustain a great stress about that. I’d better do something for the clan.’

”Where’s the head of Zhang Clan? May you take me there, Elder Muen?”

After checking Zhang Tie’s facial expression carefully, Elder Muen finally let out a sigh inside.

In the next minute, a group of female servants poured into the courtyard and started to help Zhang Tie cleanse up. After that, Zhang Tie ate and drunk some porridge. He then changed a new suit of black boa-silk robe before leaving the courtyard with Elder Muen for Zhang Taixuan.

...

The White Tiger Complex could match the imperial palaces of those countries in Waii Sub-continent. Zhang Tie’s residence was just in a small corner of the residential area of the White Tiger Complex.

Walking in the White Tiger Complex which was branded with the Mansion of Provincial Governor of Youzhou Province, Zhang Tie felt that it had been utterly different than that 7 days ago.

7 days ago, those in the White Tiger Complex were all strangers for Zhang Tie. Now, a lot of people of Zhang Clan were walking in the White Tiger Complex with pleasant and spirited looks. In wholly-new official suits, they were walking hastily. At the sight of Zhang Tie and Elder Muen, they would hurriedly give way to them from a long distance away. Standing on both sides of the corridor and the aisle, they would bow to them respectfully.

Feeling their genuine respectful and admiring looks, Zhang Tie knew that his position in Huaiyuan Palace had been stabilized.

”How many people of Huaiyuan Palace are going to be officers this time?” Zhang Tie asked Elder Muen when he watched their official suits.

”Youzhou Province is too large!” Elder Muen let out a deep sigh, ”Actually, Huaiyuan Palace’s people are not enough. However, after managing in Waii Sub-continent for so many years, we’ve cultivated a lot of clan elites and disciples in all walks of life. Since Huaiyuan Palace rules Youzhou Province, our junior disciples could also work. We have selected over 1,000 clan disciples to be officers from class 1 to class 9 and over 20,000 people to be civil servants from exiled class 1 to exiled class 9.”

The two numbers really shocked Zhang Tie. He finally realized how this competition greatly influenced Zhang Clan. After Count Long Wind ascended to the provincial governor of Youzhou Province, Huaiyuan Palace had over 1,000 officials and over 20,000 civil servants in Taixia Country. These people would enter from all walks of life in Youzhou Province. Therefore, the competition for the position of provincial governor of Youzhou Province was competing for the first clan of Youzhou Province. However, without a deep clan root and background, Zhang Taixuan might not hold his position steadily.

...

The provincial governor was handling public affairs in the Bright Palace of White Tiger Complex. Zhang Tie saw various people in the courtyards, side halls and corridors outside the Bright Palace who were waiting to present themselves before the new provincial governor.

Almost all those who could come here to present themselves before the new provincial governor were commoners.

Some were dressed like gentlemen; some were officers in official uniforms; some were businessmen in luxurious costumes, some were military officers in a suit of armor; some were heads and elders of minor clans in Youzhou Province. As Youzhou was so large, of course, its local major clans were more than the 9 major clans which had joined the competition for the position of provincial governor of Youzhou Province. Those weaker ones who knew that they had no abilities to compete for such a high position were scared off by the high-price ticket of the Heavens Ball. Of course, they dared not join the competition.

Among those people, Zhang Tie felt that some strangers were even knights.

’Taixia Country really has a lot of talents. Those who could at least be a No.1 knight in Waii Sub-continent could only wait outside the Provincial Governor Mansion to be received by the provincial governor.’

The arrival of Zhang Tie and Elder Muen attracted the others’ eyes, causing a little change in their looks at once.

”Ahh, that excessively young guy is Zhang Mushen the lion in Youzhou Province who ate a demon knight alive!” Zhang Tie heard someone exclaiming in a low voice behind him. As that man was not a knight, he didn’t know that Zhang Tie, as a knight, could hear his whisper as loud as hearing a voice from a loudspeaker although they were dozens of meters away from each other.

”Yes, he’s the lion in Youzhou Province...”

”That junior is the lion in Youzhou Province...”

”That junior is Zhang Mushen, the lion in Youzhou Province who could sec-kill all the people below knights with his thunder-in-palm javelin throwing skill, the most powerful black iron knight...”

”I was told that Zhang Mushen was also a gentleman, he’s too young!”

Zhang Tie heard all sorts of whispers on the way...

’Lion in Youzhou Province? Is that my nickname?’

’What a coincidence, my byname in the Mountain of Brightness was Chakra’s Lion. And, I became the lion in Youzhou Province here...’

...